Yeah, Bodden has been playing nickel almost all season. I'm not sure if he's started any game this season. Arrington has been getting the most snaps as the second corner opposite McCourty. We'd be helped if Bodden could return to his prior form . . . Arrington (as much as I like his grittiness) is just not as good a corner as Bodden used to be. But Bodden hasn't looked all that good this year. He seems to have accumulated a lot of rust during that off year.

I think I remember BB mentioning this pre-season is how the slot position has changed. He mentioned that the slot is being filled with players that are the #2 WR's on the team or TE's. Bess, Moore, Nelson, Gates, Burress/Keller all took snaps out of the slot position against the Pats. Most of the time Arrington is covering the #3 or #4 receivers out on the edge.

Depending on player and team I've seen Chung and Bodden line up over the slot receiver and I expect that to continue. BB seems to be determined not to give the slot player free range like they did last year and so far this season it seems like who ever lines up in the slot against the Pats hasn't been very effective. Now check downs are an issue with our weak LB zone coverage and the outside edge breaks down when the QB has 4+ secs to throw. Both kind of build on each other. If the LB zone is weak then you can't blitz because they will kill us with check downs all day but without the blitz coverage sacks look to be impossible and we can't get enough pressure on the QB so the outside coverage breaks down.

I think I remember BB mentioning this pre-season is how the slot position has changed. He mentioned that the slot is being filled with players that are the #2 WR's on the team or TE's. Bess, Moore, Nelson, Gates, Burress/Keller all took snaps out of the slot position against the Pats. Most of the time Arrington is covering the #3 or #4 receivers out on the edge. Depending on player and team I've seen Chung and Bodden line up over the slot receiver and I expect that to continue. BB seems to be determined not to give the slot player free range like they did last year and so far this season it seems like who ever lines up in the slot against the Pats hasn't been very effective. Now check downs are an issue with our weak LB zone coverage and the outside edge breaks down when the QB has 4+ secs to throw. Both kind of build on each other. If the LB zone is weak then you can't blitz because they will kill us with check downs all day but without the blitz coverage sacks look to be impossible and we can't get enough pressure on the QB so the outside coverage breaks down. Posted by PatsEng

It has been said, but putting a guy in the slot hardly counts as a 'demotion' now a days....For that matter I'd even argue that looking into snap counts can be misleading, everyone has a specific role. Snaps and position do not directly equate to importance. Agreed he hasn't played great, but that could be extended to everyone in the secondary not named Pat Chung and Ras.

We as fans put way too much stalk into the term "starter". Maybe on other teams that means something but not on a Bill Belichick team. Bodden might not have started the game but he played and played pretty well. Wes Welker did not start the playoff game last year did that mean he was not a "starter"??? I think BB would laugh at anyone who thinks that. BB likes to use rotations, he does not care who fans consider his starter. Which is why players dont sweat it, Brandon Meriweather did not start a few games last year but he was still playing in those games and considered a top player at the safety spot no matter how the fans felt about him.Posted by MVPkilla4life

Well the difference between starting and not is really nothing on the Pats as you point out the Meri and Welker not startings are important to mention that they were benchings. Welker was benched as punishment towards his comments about Rex (whom BB respects for some odd reason) and Meri was benched for not listening to coaches which eventually lead to his release this pre-season. I don't think listing them as examples works well for your statement. Better examples might be Hernandez who was not considered a starter last year and Nin, who both played vital roles on this team when on the field. Other great examples were Sanders (who played more snaps then Meri on a number of games) and Guyton (who played more snaps then Spikes on a number of occassions).

Every week when they display on the screen who is starting there are players who sometimes are not seen until the 2nd quarter yet the t.v. folks have them starting. This is almost never accurate. Its because B.B. doesnt want you knowing much,.,.so I think its the same list the other coaches get.

I would also agree that wes wasnt a good example as it was disciplinary...